The State of California Department of Conservation is holding a hearing in Santa Maria TODAY, July 16, at 4 PM on its proposed regulations governing the injection of wastewater from oil drilling operations into aquifers that could be used for irrigation or for drinking water.

Background: In January it was discovered that the Department of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) was illegally allowing oil companies to inject oil wastewater into and through federally protected groundwater aquifers. Over 500 aquifers were involved statewide, 11 of which are in Santa Barbara County. ​See this map for locations of these wastewater injection wells.

Now, instead of shutting down the illegal injection wells, they are asking that the law be changed in order to allow them to continue to pollute our precious groundwater resources.

"​This week, DOGGR is holding hearings in Bakersfield and Santa Maria on the proposed permanent emergency regulations for injection oil waste into protected state aquifers. These are codifying the same deadlines they pushed through in the emergency regulations. They have to do this since they can’t keep renewing “emergency” regulations for two years of illegal injection. We expect these regulations will green-light wastewater injection into underground drinking water sources."